ARBITRATION

Hokitika Guardian, 15 March 1932, Page 6

ARBITRATION

CRITICISM OF BILL. SUGGESTIONS FOR AMENDMENT WELLINGTON, March 14. The • Arbitration Act Amendment. Rill is likely to monopolise Parliamentary attention during the week. Suggestions for Amendment are coming from within the Government ranks-and the present task for Cabinet is to consider committee stage developments during this week. The critical speeches from the Government side are not the only symptoms of dissatisfaction with the measure as drafted. Other supporters of the Coalition have made their protests; privately to Ministers, and it seems highly possible that the Government will ultimately agree to modification of the stringent conditions of the cause relating to the Conciliation Council procedings, given a more easy road to the Arbitration Court for final decision of questions on whcli agreement cannot be reached in the conciliation stage. FIXED CHARGES.

Cabinet is preparing for the next legislative move, which will relate to finance. Though some decisions are reported to have been made regarding lilies for legislation to reduce fixed charges the details have not been framed. Valuable contributions to this subject are now available in the reports of the Economists Committee and the National Expenditure Commission. With those documents in their hands Ministers are now able to give eoij? sideration to the further economy measures needed to bnliuuc the Budget fur next financial year. ELEVEN MONTH'S FINANCE.

A financial statement covering eleven month’s ’figures of the current financial year was expected from the Hon. W. Downie Stewart, Minister of Finance, during the coming week, hut latest reports suggest that this is unlikely, and that any further financial statement might lie delayed until the Government is in a position to detail, not only the situation as it exists, but the difficult measures necessary to improve the budgetary outlook.